CENTENNIAL — Bill Ficke snaked his way through the tables, high-fiving the clientele, while his small army of servers swerved and pirouetted in crowded quarters to deliver the goods at Big Bill’s New York Pizza.

Patrons gave what they could. He delivered their checks to charity and a New York-style pie to their tables.

The event started in 2001, as a Sept. 11 tribute. As the growing communion of giving in a potent atmosphere of garlic, rising dough and shared purpose has swelled, so has the potential gift.

This year, he hoped to hit $100,000 for cancer-fighting efforts through the JoAnn B. Ficke Cancer Foundation.

The memory of Sept. 11 was everywhere, from the T-shirts worn by servers recognizing a South Bronx squad of firefighters to the memorial cards Ficke had printed, each bearing the photo of one of the 343 New York firefighters who perished that day.

For some patrons, the idea that the contributions stay in Colorado to help fight a disease that touched their loved ones looms large.

Tammy Navarro of Highlands Ranch left her table for a moment to tell Ficke that she had lost her mother to ovarian cancer at age 59 — and to thank him for his efforts. “But I love when he puts on the signs outside to remember,” she said. “Bill won’t let us forget. God love him.” Kevin Simpson, The Denver Post

HUNDREDS TURN OUT TO HONOR VETS

FIRESTONE — More than 750 flag- waving people filled a mile-long stretch of the frontage road west of Interstate 25 on Sunday morning along the route taken by busloads of World War II and Korean War veterans from Loveland to DIA.

From the airport, the veterans were flown to Washington, D.C., to be honored for their service to the country.

Paying respects to those on the Honor Flight coincided with a Patriot’s Day Remembrance of the first responders to the twin towers and a tip of the hat to the police, firefighters and emergency workers in southwest Weld County.

Boy Scouts and Young Marines along with old war veterans and families just starting out lined the Honor Flight route.

Amanda and Matt Garza pushed their 7-month-old twins — Addison and Sebastian — in a stroller toward a better view. “We just heard about this last night and decided we needed to come out here and pay our respects,” Amanda said. Monte Whaley, The Denver Post

“MY GENERATION’S PEARL HARBOR”

WHEAT RIDGE — The ceremony at the Wheat Ridge Fire Department early Sunday morning was short, but for the firefighters there and their family members, the memory of Sept. 11 will be honored for a long time.

About 50 people gathered at the station near West 38th Avenue and Wads worth Boulevard to remember the men and women who lost their lives 10 years ago.

Firefighters raised the flag to half staff as their colleagues stood saluting in line. Two trumpets played taps as some saluted the flag and others dabbed tears from the corners of their eyes.

Wheat Ridge Fire Chief Steven Gillespie said the staggering loss of life in 2001 cannot be forgotten. “This is my generation’s Pearl Harbor,” he said. Caitlin Gibbons, The Denver Post

STRETCHING OUT TO FIRST RESPONDERS

DENVER — Joy Parrish of Denver joined a throng of more than 400 yoga enthusiasts at City Park — about double the normal weekly number — for a special Yoga Rocks the Park session benefiting the FealGood Foundation, which supports 9/11 first responders.

“It seemed like good energy,” said Parrish, a first-timer. “I wanted to spend today feeling part of a community, and yoga is about peace and spreading love.”

Erik Vienneau, who founded Yoga Rocks the Park three years ago, called yoga a constructive response to unspeakable violence. “Yoga plays into what’s good about human nature,” he said. John Moore, The Denver Post

EMBRACING A SPIRIT OF COMPASSION

BROOMFIELD — The terrorist attacks on New York and the Pentagon shook the U.S. to its core. But from that shock, the nation regained a new national unity, retired New York Fire Department Battalion Chief Jack McDonnell told about 500 people gathered in Broomfield on Sunday morning.

“We quickly rediscovered the American spirit,” said McDonnell, who was among the first responders to the collapsed World Trade Center towers.

Michael Faughnan’s brother Chris was killed when the north tower fell. He said his older brother had taught him about being compassionate toward others and living a full life, a goal he said he hoped other Americans will grasp.

“Mentor a child. Be knowledgeable about the world,” Faughnan said. “Strive for the ideals of compassion.” Monte Whaley, The Denver Post

INTERFAITH SERVICE UNITES TRADITIONS

Leaders from Jewish, Christian and Muslim faiths reminded a crowd of more than 500 Sunday evening that people of faith have the capability to unite the world, rather than tear it apart.

More than 500 people from the three Abrahamic faiths gathered in St. John’s Episcopal Cathedral in Denver for an interfaith service commemorating 9/11.

Each faith uses water in its rituals, a visual representation of their similarities. Demonstrations and explanations were given on how each faith uses water and why.

Kate Eaton of Denver said she was struck by the beauty of the water in each tradition. “It’s an element that is used to bring us to a place of remembering,” she said.

Understanding the feelings of difference and recognizing similarities are key to healing the wound left by Sept. 11, the Rev. Jim Ryan said.

“We need to remember those who died. We need to remember not only where we were that day but remember who we were that day,” he said. Caitlin Gibbons, The Denver Post

WIDOW CELEBRATES RESILIENCE OF HEART

LAKEWOOD — The soft-spoken widow of United Flight 93 Capt. Jason Dahl didn’t talk much Sunday at Mile Hi Church about the heroism of the people aboard the hijacked plane that crashed in a field near Shanksville, Pa., on Sept. 11, 2001.

Instead, Sandy Dahl spoke more about kindness as she sat for a few minutes’ conversation with Roger Teel, the leader of this unconventional megachurch that teaches “the Science of Mind and Spirit, the culmination of all revelations.”

Teel asked Dahl how she survived. “It was the rush of people whom I loved, and the rush of people I didn’t know,” she said.

Teel told the congregation to give thanks for the heart’s response to the unthinkable. “Every act of unspeakable violence is followed by thousands of acts of great kindness,” he said. Electa Draper, The Denver Post

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